1. Field
The invention is in the field of quick connect couplers.
2. State of the Art
Quick connect couplers are well known and commonly used in connecting air powered tools to compressed air lines. Quick connect couplers allow a user to merely push two portions of the coupler together to connect a fluid line. To disconnect the fluid line, the user merely easily moves a sleeve against its bias and the two portions separate. The prior art construction of such couplers allow unrestricted rotational movement of one portion of the coupler with respect to the other portion of the coupler.
Quick connect couplers are not known to be used in water delivery systems, such as sprinkler systems. A problem with the use of such couplers in a sprinkler system using rotating sprinkler heads, such as impact heads, is that the base of such heads have to be held against rotation so that the sprinkler head will rotate as desired. If the coupler, and thus the base of the sprinkler head, is free to rotate, the sprinkler, rather than rotating, may merely stay in substantially one position with the sprinkler head base moving back and forth. If a non-rotating sprinkler head is used, the positioning of the spray may easily rotate out of position if the base is free to rotate.
There are some above ground sprinkler systems wherein sprinklers heads, such as impact heads, are mounted on portable bases by screwing such heads into the base. One or more bases are connected together by hoses, and the bases are moved and arranged to water an area needing water. If a sprinkler on a base is to be changed, it is necessary to get a wrench and unscrew the sprinkler head from the base and then screw the replacement sprinkler head into the base. This is time consuming and requires that the user have the necessary tools available.
The invention comprises a quick connect and disconnect coupling which includes respective male and female connectors having respective interlocking portions which prevent relative rotation therebetween in the coupled condition. The coupling is particularly useful for applications wherein free rotation of the ends of the coupler is undesirable such as for connecting rotary lawn sprinklers to a supporting base.
The quick connect and disconnect coupling includes a male connector having a coupling end and an attachment end and a female connector having a coupling end with a receiving opening to receive the coupling end of the male connector therein when the connectors are in coupled condition, and an attachment end. A holding mechanism is associated with and cooperable between the male connector and the female connector to secure the coupling end of the male connector in the receiving opening of the coupling end of the female connector when the coupling end of the male connector is inserted into the receiving opening and to release the coupling end of the male connector from the receiving opening when desired to disconnect the male connector from the female connector. Interengaging cooperable surfaces on the male connector and the female connector interlock to prevent relative rotation of the male connector and female connector when the connectors are in coupled condition. Such interlocking or interengaging surfaces may take the form of one or more tabs extending from the coupling end of the female connector to mate with flats or other receiving surfaces of the male connector.
The holding mechanism may include at least one ball retaining hole through the coupling end of the female connector with a ball positioned in the at least one ball retaining hole. A sleeve having a first inside diameter portion and a tapered portion tapering from the first diameter portion to a larger diameter portion is slidably mounted on the coupling end of the female connector over the at least one ball retaining hole so that the first diameter portion or the tapered portion may be selectively aligned with the at least one ball retaining hole. When the first diameter portion is aligned with the at least one ball retaining hole it holds the ball in the at least one ball retaining hole in an inward position wherein the ball extends into the receiving opening. When the tapered portion larger diameter portion when is aligned over the at least one ball retaining hole it allows the ball in the at least one ball retaining hole to move to an outward position out of the receiving opening. A spring biases the sleeve to a biased position wherein the first diameter portion is aligned with the at least one ball retaining hole. A ball receiving recess in the coupling end of the male connector, such as an annular groove in the coupling end, receives the ball in the at least one ball retaining hole when the coupling end of the male connector is received in the receiving opening of the female connector. The male and female connectors are held together by holding the ball in the at least one ball retaining hole in inward position to extend into the ball receiving recess.